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I didn't vote, as more choices and different wording are needed in order to produce meaningful results. Others have already made the key points, but one that perhaps needs to be emphasized is diesel versus steam. While I am mostly steam myself, I model the popular transition era and have some diesel (all plastic) just for the heck of it. I can therefore note from personal experience that there are many truly excellent plastic diesel models in HO (only scale I have experience with) and they run flawlessly - better by at least a small margin than even the best-running brass diesels. Its hard for me to see any reason to invest the extra money in brass diesels especially since diesels are also intrinsically easier to detail, modify and paint than steam. Yet its an interesting paradox that diesel brass has been far more affordable than steam brass for at least 25 years. This fact suggests that the Asian manufacturers have high profit margins and offer diesel brass at lower prices because of the plastic competition. <br /> <br />With steam, on the other hand, outside of the USRA stuff and a handful of very popular locos such as N&W J, or a few articulateds, there is no practical alternative to brass for those who model a prototype. (Same comments also apply to cabooses). Even with the models that I mentioned, it has been only quite recently that quality plastic has come to the steam market (and yes, my LifeLike N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2 is a great model). Quality, accurate plastic models of steam have only been made possible by the incredible run-up in brass steam prices. <br /> <br />I satisfied most of my steam needs via the brass market in 1988-95. About three years ago, I stopped even looking at brass - I simply cannot justify the necessary expenditure even if I can technically afford it. After all, this is only a hobby. With seemingly no end in sight to the price inflation, one wonders what the future of the brass market can be. Certainly if I were starting in the hobby today, I would never consider brass and presumably would therefore have to stick to diesels.
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